Versano
Versano was the old capital of Camdoria, a city older then Arlessa and once a highly spiritual place for Court of Four Worshipers. However, during events in the War of Strife (after assasination of Tarvala) it was hugely damaged by a feyrock explosion in revenge for what happened in Arlessa earlier. The city was abandoned and was soon absorbed by the wilderness, before the land around it became tainted and became a part of the Hollow Fields. Pre-Tarvala Nikandros Kalevala, after saving his tribe and others from the ravaging of the Houndour tribe declared the Fields of Filven to be under the protection of himself and his descendants for all time, and set about to building the city. Soon after the palace was built and it's first walls raised, Nikandros died and his son Camdor took control. He created the province of Camdoria and the city slowly grew into a rich trade centre, sitting near the pass between a great mountain chain that separated the two sides that would become the Imperial provinces and the Royalist Kingdoms. At this point the fey noticed the settlement and prepared to wipe out another pocket of human existence. Camdor rode out and met with the fey, and it is unknown what he promised, but the fey allowed the city to exist. Soon after, Camdor took interest in The Court of Four and created Holy festivals for each of the Gods (Asha, Markoth, Vance and Bran) and besides a great deal of feasting and mirth, four people at each festival were chosen to be sacrificed at each festival by being tied to four great pillars in the centre of the city. By the next morning, nothing would remain of the bodies, everything disappeared with only the ropes binding the people remaining. Camdor passed soon after and his son took the throne, and things did not change for a good time. During the Eternal War When Tarvala began his eternal fight against the Fey in the year 218, Versano was facing an inner conflict as well. For centuries people of all kinds practiced worshiping The Court of Four, yet there was no similarity or proper practice of any kind. The council of Versano sought to change that. A group of priests gathered in the court of four pillars and discussed what exactly would be proper practice and right of true worship of the Court. On this day, the orthodox faith of The Court of Four was created. One thing they did decide would be that human sacrifice would no longer continue, and decided to instantly cancel the planned sacrifice for that night. When announced, people rose up in anger and fear, afraid that when their gods would not be appeased, wrath would fall down on them and kill them all. However, the Priests were resolute in this, and the ruling Queen Iamina supported them, sending soldiers to encircle the court of pillars and not allow any sacrifice. The night passed and when the people saw they were alive, they rejoiced and accepted the orthodox faith with open arms. The court of four pillars was transformed into a grand temple complex. As the war continued, missionaries spread out from Versano and began to teach the orthodox practice, spreading it far and wide. This continued till the year 305...the day Tarvala arrived outside it's walls. The arrival of the Empire When Tarvala's armies reached the walls of Versano, Camdoria's army was before them. However, King Tanust (King Rendon's father) saw that if they fought it would end in their slaughter and destruction, and he rode forth under a white flag of truce to arrange terms. He came back and announced that they were no longer independent, that they were now part of the Empire of Tarvala. He reminded the people that his family still had authority in the city, and that their faith was safe, they wouldn't have too much change in their city. Things progressed nearly normally for 20 years, except that the half fey people (which of that time was a high percentage) were being driven out of the city and persecuted harshly by the Imperial soldiers garrisoning the city, a higher tax rate existed to fund Tarvala's campaigns, men were taken from their homes and conscripted in Tarvala's armies and some buildings were torn down and replaced with Imperial style buildings. Slowly, things were changing in the city which began to confuse and upset the people...then reality kicked in. Year 325, and an Imperial decree has reached the city "The Court of Four is a false faith and you shall not worship it. Further more, you must worship Tarvala as god". When this decree was being declared by the Imperial herald in the courtroom of King Tanust, it was also being spread in the city. Tanust, an old man by then, suffered a heart attack at such a blow to his faith while the people in the city rose up in anger, defacing anything they could find of Imperial origin or design. The rioting was put down fiercly and harshly by Imperial soldiers, who then marched to the temple to set it aflame. The priest stood in their way, peacefully blocking passage....the majority of them were speared through, as some priests fled to the palace while others attempted to fight the soldiers with their fists...it was futile. The temple was destroyed and all who fought were taken alive and executed publicly. The soldiers went to get the priests inside the palace but were denied entry by the palace guard, and the whole palace was placed under house arrest. For a further five years the people suffered under harsh curfew, as people were dragged away for holding onto their old beliefs and any public demonstration was put down violently. Leaving the Empire The year 330 came by, and the High Priest of the Court (also brother to late King Tanust) left for Arlessa with his son Gregor to try and talk to Tarvala and explain that his decree was turning loyal citizens into angry rebels and it needed to be overturned. Gregor came riding back a month later informing the palace that Tarvala was dead, assasinated and his father was executed as a key conspirator with himself wanted as well. When soldiers arrived to take Gregor away, King Rendon was heard to announce "Camdoria shall placate you no more" and killed the messenger as his guards attacked the soldiers. They were victorious and Rendon asked his people to "clean away the corruption within our walls"...not an Imperial soldier, official or priest was left in the walls by nightfall, either driven from the city or dead. A emissary was sent to Arlessa to demand compensation for damage cause by Imperial stay, and recieved the reply of the High Priest's head and demands of surrender. Camdoria joined the Alliance and fought against the Imperials. The fall and corrupting Year 341 and the war with the Empire is still continuing. Arlessa was damaged in a attack and the Imperials responded by attacking Versano. It began with a sneak attack with covert forces planting a bomb in the centre of the city and not allowing the Royalists to disarm the bomb. When the bomb exploded, the main army attacked, only to be wiped out by a furious counter attack of Camdorian forces. Due to warning of the bomb, many people were able to leave the city and they created the fortress of Branick, which would become it's own city in the years to come. Plans to rebuild Versano were made to be put in effect after the war, and the city was evacuated. It was left alone for nineteen years until tragedy struck nearby. A great magical malady overtook the fields of Filven, corrupting all that was on it...including Versano. The city, already ruined from it's fall, was further corrupted and people did not want to approach it. Camdoria instead moved east and created New Versano, as well as other cities to maintain their borders. Present Day Versano now sits in the Hollow Fields, one of the few breaks on flat landscape, and of architecture. A large amount of Razorglass can be found in the city, yet it is left largely alone, rumours of sick and cursed beings keeping people away from the ruins.